Electric socket



April 13, 1948. M. GOLDBERG ELECTRIC SOCKET Filed April 10, 1945 known manner.

said body member.

Patented Apr. 13 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 2,4sasa ELECTRIC SOCKET Morris Goldberg, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application April 10, 1945, Serial No. 587,551 3 Claims. (Cl. 20041.09)

This invention relates to electric sockets, and more particularlyto a lamp socket having safety features.

A main object of this invention is to provide a novel lamp or screw plug socket having an improved contact regulating structure.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved lamp socket structure having means for maintaining the socket in safe condition when no lamp or screw plug is mounted therein whereby the possibilities of accidental shock are reduced.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an improved electric socket in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view of a portion of the socket of Figure 1 with parts broken away to show the interior construction.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In the conventional standard electric socket if contact is made with the internal portion thereof by a person during the removal or replacement of a bulb or other screw plug electrical device, a serious shock may the contact elements within the socket. prime purpose of "this invention to provide a means for automaticallydisconnecting the socket from the electrical power circuit when the bulb or other screw plug device is unscrewed and removed from the socket and for maintaining the interior of the socket in a safe condition until a new bulb or device is screwed into the socket. v

Referring to the drawings, an electric socket is disclosed comprising an'outer sleeve I of metal, rubber, plastic or other suitable material and an end cap portion 2 through which the electric wires 3, 3 pass for connection to the socket in a well- One to a first terminal 4 and the other wire is connected to a second terminal 5. The respective terminals are supported on an insulating body member or base '6 of porcelaimBakelite or other suitable insulating material. A bolt member 1 connects terminal 4 with a metal contact bar 8, said bolt threadedly engaging said contact bar to rigidly secure'terminal 4 to body member 6, said bar 8 being preferably firmly embedded in A radial bore is provided adjacent the top end of body member 6, said bore beingofiset with respect to bolt 1 to avoid interference therewith and a bolt 8 is passed thereresult when the fingers touch It is a of the wires is connected ,contact member 22.

shell through into threaded engagement with a contact flange IQ of a spring metal strip member ll, said contact flange l0 being positioned opposite con-- tact bar 8. Atransverse bore is provided between contact bar 8 and contact flange III which slidably receives a contact bar l2 of insulating material having a metallic contact section I3 adapted. at times to be positioned in conducting relation between contact bar 8 and contact flange I0 to provide a control switch.

Positioned on top of body member 6 is an insulating disc forming a partition I rigidly held in place within sleeve I by a tightly fitting insulating lining sleeve H which is appropriately formed to engage disc I to maintain it in position on body member 6 and which is substantially flush with the top end of sleeve I at its upper. end.

slldably mounted within insulating sleeve I5 is a metal shell member l6 suitably corrugated to provide internal screw threads to receive the threaded base of a lamp or screw plug.

Shell member I8 is formed at its lower end with an -internal annular flange ,ll having formed thereon a lug l8. Diametrically positioned with respect to lug I8 and slldably passing through flange l1 and disc are a, pair of elongated vertical pin members l9, l9 headed at both. ends and I carrying at their lower ends a rigid stripmember or cross-bar 20 of insulating material. springs 2|, 2! are respectively mounted on pin.

members l9, l9 bearing between disc I4 and strip 20 to thereby bias shell l6 to a depressedpo-sition within sleeve I.

The inner portion of resilient strip member II is vertically offset and'bea-rs on strip 20, said strip member ll being preferably transversely related with respect to strip member 20. Rigldly pOSiw tioned in disc l4 above the inner end of strip member. I lis a central contact member 22 adapted to becontacted at its top portion by the central contact of a lamp base or screw plug threaded into shell l6. 'Strip member II is biased to benormally maintained out of contact with central However, it'may be pressed into contact with member 22 by strip 2|] when lllis' raised by the vertical thrust developed between said shell and the center contact of a lamp bulb base or screw plug when said base'or plug is threaded into said shell.

A bolt member 23 connects terminal 5 to a horizontal metal strip member 24 positioned at the top portion 01' body member 6. The inner end portion of strip member 24 is formed with an opening through which passes a bolt member 25 carried by and rigidly secured to lug I8 01' the Coil s 3 shell l6. Bolt member 25 is normally insulated from strip member 24 by an insulating sleeve.

Bo1t member 25 carries at its lower end a nut 29 adapted to be raised into contact with strip member 24 when shell I6 is raised resulting from the insertion 'of a lamp bulb base or screw plug into the socket.

As shown in Figure 1, body member 6 is formed with an internal cavity 21 at its upper portion to receive the various spring biased elements and to permit the motion of said elements resultin from the insertion or removal of a lamp base or screw plug with respect to the shell.

It is thus apparent that when a lamp base or screw plug is threaded into shell l6, contact will be made between member H and member 22 and also between nut member 29 and strip member 24 so that the lamp-or electrical device may be energized by actuation of switch bar [2. When the lamp base or screw plug is unscrewed from shell l6, contact ll moves away from contact 22, nut 29 moves away from member 24 and the socket is safe so that no shock will be received if the interior parts of the socket shell are accidentally touched by the fingers.

While a specific embodiment of a safety lamp socket has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention other than those as defined by the scope of the appended claims. What is claimed is:

, 1. In an electric socket, the combination, which comprises a sleeve forming a, casing with an insulating plug forming a base in one end'and a floating threaded shell adapted to receive an electric cord screw plug in the other, a transverse insulatingpartition in said casing between the base and shell, spaced pins extending from the inner end of the shell through and slidable in said partition, a cross-bar carried by the ends of the pins extending through the partition and on the sidethereof opposite to the shell, spr ngs on the pins urging the cross-bar away from the partition and thereby holding the shell inward, a centrally dis-,

p'osed contact extending through said partition with ahead on each side thereof, a contact on the cross-bar positioned to contact a head of the said contact centrally disposed in the partition, a. contact rod connected to the inner end of the shell extending through and slidable in said partition spaced from said centrally disposed contact, a contact plate on the surface of said partition positioned to be contacted by said contact rod, and connections from a cord extending into the end of the socket in which the base is positioned to said contact plate and contact on the cross-bar,

- said shell having a centrally disposed opening wherein a centrally positioned contact projecting from a threaded electric plug contacts the cen-' trally disposed contact or the partition and draws the shell and cross-bar carried thereby outward closing the contact on the partition, cross-bar and contact rod.

2. In an electric socket, the combination, which comprises a sleeve forming a casing with an insulating plug forming a base in one end and a floating threaded shell adapted to receive an electric cord screw plug in the other, a transverse insulating partition in said casing between the base and shell, spaced pins extending from the inner end of the shell through and slidable in said partiurging the cross-bar away from the partitionand thereby holding the shell inward, a. centrally disposed contact extending through said partition with a head on each side thereof, a contact on the cross-bar positioned to contact a. head of said contact centrally disposed in the partition, a contact rod connected to the inner end of the shell extending through and slidable I in said partition spaced from said centrally disposed contact, a contact plate on the surface of said partition positioned to be contacted by said contact rod, a switch connected to the contact on said cross-bar actuated by a handle extending from the casing,

and connections from a cord extending into the end of the socket in which the base is positioned to said contact plate and contact on the cross-bar, said shell having a centrally disposed opening wherein a centrally positioned contact projecting from a threaded electric plug contacts the centrally disposed contact of the partition and draws the shell and cross-bar carried thereby outward closing the contact on the partition, cross-bar and contact rod.

3. In an electric socket, the combination, which comprises a sleeve formlnga casing with an insulating plug forming a base in one end and a floating threaded shell adapted to receive an electric cord screw plug in the other, a transverse insulating partition in said casing between the base and shell, spaced pins extending from the inner end of the shell through and slidable in said partition, a cross-bar carried by the ends of the pins extendin through the partition and on the side thereof opposite to the. shell, springs on the pins urging the cross-bar away from the partition and thereby holding the shell inward, a centrally disposed con tact extending through said partition with a head on eachside thereof, a contact on the cross-bar positioned to contact a head of the said contact centrally disposed in the partition, a contact rod connected to the inner end of the shell extending through and slidable in said partition spaced from said centrally disposed contact, aicontact plate on the surface of said partition positioned to be contacted by said contact rod, and connections from a cord extending into the end of the socket in 50 which the base is positioned to terminals in the outer ends of the base connected to saidcontact threaded electric plug contacts the centrally disposed contact of th partition and draws the shell and cross-bar carried thereby outward closing the contact on the partition, cross-bar and contact rod- 7 MORRIS GOLDBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

